[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 202 (Tuesday, October 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56041-56042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27997]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO-220-1020-24-1A]
Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Number 1004-
0005
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paper Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) is announcing its intention to request
approval to collect certain information from individuals applying for
an annual authorization for grazing or to amend grazing use authorized
under a previously approved grazing permits or leases. It provides
grazing applicants an opportunity to request changes for the coming
grazing season, changes during the grazing year, and to apply for
temporary non-renewable grazing where excess forage exists. The
information contained on the form provides essential information for
the authorized officer to consider prior to approving or rejecting the
grazing application. Upon approval, the grazing fee is computed and the
grazing fee bill is transmitted. The bill also provides the grazing use
authorization, effective upon payment of fees due, including grazing
use schedules for rangeland areas, numbers of livestock, kind of or
class of livestock, periods of use, animal unit months of forage and
applicable terms and conditions for grazing use on each grazing
allotment.
DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received
by December 21, 1998 to be considered.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by one
of several methods. You may mail to Bureau of Land Management,
Administrative Record, Room 401LS, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC
20240. You may also comment via the Internet to WOC[email protected].
Please submit comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special
characters and any form of encryption. Please also include ``Attn:
1004-0005'' and your name and return address in your Internet message.
If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have
received your Internet message, contact us directly on (202) 452-5030.
Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will
be available for public review at this address during regular business
Hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Eastern Time, Monday through Friday,
except holidays.
Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to BLM at 1620 L Street,
NW., Room 401, Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
George Ramey, Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 401LS, 1849 C
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240; telephone (202) 452-7747 (Commercial
or FTS).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.12(a), the BLM
is required to provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning
a proposed collection of information to solicit comments on:
1. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the BLM, including whether
the information will have practical utility;
2. The accuracy of BLM's estimate of the burden of collecting the
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used;
3. The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and.
4. How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
BLM will receive and analyze any comments sent in response to this
notice and include them with its request for approval under 44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq. from the Office of Management and Budget.
The Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) of 1934 (43 U.S.C. 315, 315 et seq.)
and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) provide the authority for the Bureau of Land
Management to administer the livestock grazing program consistent with
land-use plans, multiple-use objectives, sustained yield, environmental
values, economic considerations, and other factors. Authorizing
livestock use on the public lands is an important and integral part of
program administration. Regulations in 43 CFR 4130.1 and 4130.4 provide
for the timely filing of applications for grazing permits or leases,
free-use grazing permits, and other grazing authorizations with the
appropriate BLM office.
The information provided by the permittees and lessees is used by
the BLM to authorize livestock grazing use on the public lands, and to
amend annual authorizations levels. The information requested includes
the name and number of the grazing
[[Page 56042]]
allotment to verify the authorized location, the number of livestock
and periods of use for billing purposes, recorded brands to verify
ownership, and reasons for any nonuse. The information on the form is
used by the BLM authorized officer to determine if the applied for use
is within the permittees' or lessees' preference (permitted level of
use), to determine if the applied for use would be consistent with
multiple-use objectives, and develops appropriate terms and conditions
and makes the authorization according to 43 CFR 4130.3-1 and 4130.3-2.
The authorized officer may deny the requested grazing use or a change
in the annual grazing schedules by issuing a decision which includes a
right of protest and administrative appeal. The grazing authorization
remains in effect during the ``grazing fee year''. Without this
information, the BLM would not be able to assure proper administration
of the use of the public lands as required by law and would result in
unauthorized use, improper billings, and nonpayment of fees due the
Federal Government.
After the authorization is approved, the billing is then computer
generated with the applicant's name, address, stated qualifications,
and mailed to the grazing permittee or lessee.
The information required by law is only available from the
applicants and uses information already available for the purpose
identified. Since grazing on the unreserved public lands is
administered only by the BLM, there is no duplication of information
collections.
The BLM Form 4130.1 was designed to request only basic information
required to administer the grazing authorization process. The majority
of the information is contained in the applicant's ownership documents,
previously approved grazing permit, or lease and displayed on Form
4130-3a. The data contained in columns 7, 8, 9 and 10 of Form 4130-1
are computer generated; therefore, the burden is minimized for all
respondents.
The information requested by the form is subject to change from 1
grazing year to another and is necessary for annual collection of
grazing fees. For example, a permittee may choose to graze less
livestock than scheduled during the year and amend the authorized use
to take nonuse. There is no opportunity to conduct the collection less
frequently and collect user fees as required by law.
This information collection is consistent with guidelines in 5 CFR
1320.6 without which the BLM would not be able to administer the Public
Land Laws. There are no assurances of confidentiality but the Privacy
Act Notice is provided to inform the applicants of the uses to be made.
The annual cost to the Government is estimated to be $120,000 based
on $10,000 for forms and processing and $110,000 to review returned
applications at $20 per hour. Annual costs to the respondents is
estimated at $40,000 based on $20 per hour to prepare the forms.
The respondents spend an average of 20 minutes (0.333 hours) to
review, check records, make changes and sign, resulting in 2,000 burden
hours based on approximately 6,000 forms that are submitted for BLM's
consideration annually. Response time has been estimated from those
respondents who have completed the form in the presence of BLM
employees.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
also become a matter of public record.
Dated: October 8, 1998.
Shirlean Beshir,
Acting Bureau of Land Management Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-27997 Filed 10-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M